Silvia Sumedrea

My amazing American Fulbright experience

The Fulbright Senior Scholarship gave me the chance to have a unique academic and cultural experience. I had the opportunity to develop my research at Rutgers Business School of Economics – part of Rutgers University –Newark. Being ranked as the most diverse national university in the United States, its inclusion policy has made me feel extremely welcome. My research activity focused  on the development of entrepreneurial finance in emergent financial markets.

In this project I worked with Prof. Jeffrey Robinson (CUEED Director) and his post-doctoral team to identify how new businesses developed especially in the emerging economies of East European countries can use US expertise and capital for their growth.

In addition to research, I had the privilege of meeting and discussing entrepreneurial issues in the context of urban development with Prof. Lyneir Richardson (mayor’s counselor in Newark), Prof. Theodore Weitz (Councilor of the Intel Venture Capital Fund and Estonian market expert), Prof. Mukesh Patel (Asian Emerging Markets finance specialist) and Prof. Ted Baker (who led internationally recognized research in the field of entrepreneurial development in emerging markets and with major constraints), meet several successful entrepreneurs at events organized by Rutgers Business School, Newark Institute of Technology and Newark City Council and talk to Judith Sheft (Associate Vice President for Technology and Enterprise Development New Jersey Innovation Institute) about business incubators and accelerators. I participated in various debates on topics related to sustainable business development through business accelerators and encouraging women’s participation (especially of African-American disadvantaged groups) in the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems.

I also travelled every weekend for understanding as much as I could about the American culture, visiting the city of Newark and its surroundings. I dedicated a little more time for visiting New York, Washington, and having fun together with other Fulbright scholars in NY area.

Looking back, I think I can say without any doubt that this scholarship has offered me one of the most incredibly beautiful and interesting academic and cultural experiences. Thank you, Fulbright Commission!